Carlton: Kansas’ Withey a one-man swat team

4/27

Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer

FGCU's Alexander Blessig signs an autograph for six-year-old Jaemon Stephens of New Mexico as the Eagles prepare for the NCAA basketball tournament games at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington on Thursday, March 28, 2013.

Jayhawks center’s defensive presence proves formidable

ARLINGTON — More than most folks, Jeff Withey can relate to Dikembe Mutombo blocking all kinds of tosses and wagging his finger in a Geico commercial.

“I think it’s hilarious,” said Withey, a 7-foot senior for Kansas. Media folks at the school even considered having Withey do a spoof of the commercial.

A Mutombo-like not-in-my-house performance Friday night against Michigan in the South Regional might be even timelier. Withey has been the key to a Kansas defense that has held opponents to a nation-leading 35.7 percent. He’ll be two inches taller than any Michigan player he will face.

Few players in college basketball can force opponents to adjust shots quite like Withey. He ranks second nationally in blocked shots (3.9 a game) and holds the Big 12 career record (306). This season, Withey blocked more shots than six Big 12 teams.

Only Tim Duncan has blocked more shots than Withey in the NCAA Tournament. Yes, the NCAA only began keeping the stat in 1986, which eliminated generations of dominant centers like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Lew Alcindor (before he became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Bill Walton.

It’s still significant.

“I can definitely have a big impact,” Withey said.“Our whole defense will be not letting them get in the paint.I’ll definitely be in there. They’re going to try attacking the paint, probably try getting me in foul trouble and stuff like that. We’ve been preparing for them. We know what their offense is like.”

Michigan has an idea of what Withey is like.

Coach John Beilein recalled some of the behemoth centers on his schedule.

Then he checked their numbers. Withey had nearly twice the blocks of Wisconsin’s Jared Berggren, the Big Ten’s leader.

From his time in the Big East, Beilein understands the momentum swings that can come from blocked shots.

“You run a beautiful play, it couldn’t be run better, and he somehow blocks the shot and they’re going the other way,” Beilein said. “It can be very deflating to a team.”

“Just seeing Jeff down there, we don’t appreciate it as much as we probably should, because we’ve been playing with him for four years,” Kansas guard Elijah Johnson said. “We definitely feel better about going out there and pressuring on defense and doing our job, knowing we’ve got backup.”

The premier matchup for Withey will be Michigan’s 6-10 freshman Mitch McGary, a defensive end masquerading as a power forward.

Withey is more than just another space-eating center in the Kansas tradition of Greg Ostertag and Cole Aldrich. Years of volleyball helped him hone his timing and leaping ability growing up in San Diego.

He started his career at Arizona, when through a contentious transfer at the end of the Lute Olson era, he had to wait his turn at Kansas before emerging last season.

During games, he’s so emotional that it inspired a website devoted to his expressions, Witheyface.com. Withey added to his body of work with a blackened right eye this week, courtesy of an elbow from North Carolina’s James Michael McAdoo.

With true back-to-basket centers a rarity, Withey pledged to take advantage of his biggest asset.

“Yeah, there’s not very many of us,” Withey said. “It is something I take pride in. I’m this height, God gave it to me and I’ll use it to the best of my ability.”

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